The invention relates to a convertible motor vehicle with at least two vehicle seating rows and with at least two side doors of the type.
Such a convertible motor vehicle is for example already known from German Patent Publication DE 103 57 398 B3, which comprises two vehicle seating rows behind one another, which are accessible via a respective lateral front or rear side door. A respectively associated door column is arranged between the two side doors of each vehicle side, which extends upwards to just under the top of the open motor vehicle. A beam element of an active rollover protection system is respectively arranged within the respective door column, which is moved out in a translational manner when there is an imminent rollover of the motor vehicle.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a convertible motor vehicle with the rollover protection system integrated in the convertible motor vehicle in a safe and comfortable way. To enable a comfortable and still extremely safe integration of the rollover protection system in the convertible motor vehicle, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide that the door columns end upwards in the region or at the height of an associated waistline of the motor vehicle, wherein the rollover protection system is substantially arranged below or at the height of the waistline of the motor vehicle in a retracted position. In other words, exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide that the door columns only project up to about the height of the laterally associated waistline of the motor vehicle, which results in a significantly more comfortable view to the outside for the seat occupants. As the door columns are also not in the field of view of the driver according to the invention, the danger of accidents, for example with a cyclist, can furthermore be reduced, and the road safety of the present convertible motor vehicle can thus be increased. If nothing else, due to the fact that the door columns end at the height of the waistline of the motor vehicle, a higher design freedom results for the design engineers of the top or the construction above the waistline.
Even though the door columns according to the invention extend upwards just into the region of an associated waistline, they still have a sufficient height, so that moving parts of the rollover protection system can be brought from the retracted position into a corresponding height-displaced protection position, so as to hereby prevent injuries of the seat occupants during a rollover of the motor vehicle. The arrangement of the rollover protection system in the region of the door columns thereby cooperates with the frame of the windshield of the motor vehicle, so that a cage-like rollover contour is formed altogether, whereby head injuries of the vehicle occupants during a rollover can be prevented or at least reduced to a harmless extent, as a safe distance to the ground is maintained. As a result, it is possible with the rollover protection system according to the invention, to ensure a high standard of safety even with convertible motor vehicles having four doors with a very large interior space region to be opened.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.